Development-Induced Displacement in India and the Tribal Rights: A Quest for Social Justice

Abstract

Human population displacement from natural environments has a variety of socio-economic consequences. Displacement induced by larger projects has resulted in a transfer of resources from the marginalized to the more privileged sections of society in India’s development paradigm. Mega Projects like dams, Infrastructure, and Industries, in particular, subject certain sections of society and make them sufferers of development, primarily tribals who never receive the benefits of this kind of economic development. It would be apt to generalize that the size of the development project is directly proportional to its impact on tribals. Development initiatives have disproportionately impacted tribal people. This article aims to delve deeper into the impact of displacement on tribal communities’ livelihoods. It will identify the most pressing issues they confront due to development-induced displacement and rehabilitation. A study by the Centre for Policy Research concerning land rights reflects that nearly 55% of people have been displaced, citing reasons for developing industrial projects and dam building since independence. A detailed literature review was done by using major database like Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. © The Author(s) 2023.